A Ghanaian policeman who was attacked by three armed men when he was on duty has narrated his unfortunate encounter on Adom FM’s Fabewoso programme.
After some armed robbers raided the Kwabenya police station and killed a policeman to free some inmates from cells, junior rank in the police have voiced out their sentiments on how low their morale has been placed in their line of duties.
In an interview with host, Kofi Adoma Nwawani, a policeman whose name and station was withheld said he was once attacked by eight men who attempted to take custody of his cell keys and free inmates.
He said at around 2:30 am, he left the charge office to stretch for a while when he saw three men in black attires approaching him.
Thinking they were coming to report a case, he quickly dashed into the office to receive them and record their complaints but to his surprise, one of the men hurriedly got behind him and requested for the key to the cells at gun point.
The Officer said he was hit with the gun as blood oozed from the cut when he refused to heed to the request of the well-built masked-men.
He said “I couldn’t run out; the two men outside asked him to shoot me or else they will. I was confused. I even forgot the keys were in my pocket. My face was covered with blood.”
The policeman who said he feared for his life, continued that, “I saw one of the men outside coming inside to shoot me with a pump action gun. I hid behind the counter so the shot missed me…” he narrated.
The policeman said he was grabbed by the machomen who “hit my head against the wall for about a number of times.” I was so weak that they wanted to drag me from the charge office so they can kill me outside. As he was dragging me, he was tripped by a TV cable so he fell.”
It took the help of another officer who was coming to duty to see the action and give warning shots before the armed men fled.
According to the policeman, in spite of his ordeal, the government has not compensated him ever since the matter occurred. He revealed that all the cost for his medications and hospital bills were catered for by his family.
He added that, he was never promoted for putting his life on the line for the country hence his morale has depreciated drastically.
Asked what the government can do to improve the security of the police forces, he urged the Akufo-Addo-Bawumia administration to provide the police with side arms [because] before a policeman would reach for an AK47, an armed robber might have shot him already’.
The policeman who ‘swore’ he could never forget the encounter added that, ‘they [armed robbers] work like policemen. They go through strenuous training. I don’t think there was an insider who helped them”, he said.